Pennsylvania State Representative Jim Christiana (R-Beaver) is coming under criticism for a round of golf he played last week.

The Pittsburgh Tribune Review reported that Christiana played in a Professional-Amateur Event (Pro-Am) for the Constellation Senior Players PGA Championship at Fox Chapel Golf Club last Wednesday. Christiana’s participation in the event was paid for at the expense of Highmark.

Representative Christiana had previously sponsored legislation that would require hospitals to accept all insurance carriers, a bill which was supported by Highmark but opposed by UPMC. The two health care giants had been engulfed in a long running dispute over coverage and rates until announcing an agreement on Friday that will see UPMC keep many services at in-network rates for Highmark members.

Highmark denied that its invitation for Christiana to participate in Wednesday’s golf outing had anything to do with his legislation. Christiana also denied that his participation in the event had anything to do with the bill.

When contacted by the Beaver Countian, Christiana disputed claims by the Tribune Review that the golf package provided by Highmark for the tournament (including foursome) cost between $20,000 and $25,000.

“No round of golf on this planet is worth the amount that the Trib reported,” Representative Christiana told the Beaver Countian. “I think I could play on the moon with Neil Armstrong for that price. But rest assured that whatever the value is, I will reimburse it or report it according to state law.”

Highmark has claimed its actual cost for Christiana’s foursome was far less than the advertised price because the company is a PGA tour sponsor.

Pro Bill Glasson, who has 7 PGA Tour wins, played in Highmark’s group during last Wednesday’s event. State Representative Jim Christiana played along with Westmoreland County Commissioner Tyler Courtney, David Ciacchini of Erie, and Highmark Vice President Tom Fitzpatrick.

The agreement between UPMC and Highmark on Friday will likely mean Representative Christiana’s bill will not receive further consideration. He issued a press release shortly after the agreement was announced, saying in part “I am thankful Highmark and UPMC agreed to work together to ensure patients will not be turned away because of a logo on their insurance card. My hope all along was to find a way to give affected Pennsylvanians peace of mind about their health care options without relying a legislative solution.”

Yep, according to her and a bunch of other Kool-Aid drinkers, that is the reason. Odumbnuts, Nancy Pissonus and Harry Nuts Reid had NOTHING to do with f’n up health care costs!

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nina bartoletta

1 year 27 days ago

Sure is.

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cracker

1 year 1 month ago

“ALL INCUMBENTS MUST GO”

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not sure

1 year 1 month ago

Yeah, no round of golf costs that much… ha. Golf much with PGA pros at charity events? I assure you all, rounds of golf like that are extremely expensive. It is hard to tell if our representatives truly represent the proletariat when they are gifted opportunities that are only inclusive to CEO types with the salaries to afford them.

Jimmy is living the high life and has lost touch. Not all that glitters turns to gold Jimmy.

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accordingtome

1 year 1 month ago

It doesn’t concern anyone that highmark is permitted to be a PGA sponsor? How does this benefit their subscribers?

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sd1120

1 year 1 month ago

Jimmy is another right-wing, holier-than-thou grifter. Someday, somewhere somebody is gonna knock that shitty grin off of his face.

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Nobama

1 year 1 month ago

You mean like the left-wing holier-than-thou grifters Odumbnuts and his wife Moochele, Nancy Piss-on-us, Harry Nuts Reid, and Etc., Etc.,…….?

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lol

1 year 1 month ago

25k lol lol

This kid is epitome of hypocrite

And I’d someone cared about Chafee they would file ethics violation on his campaign account he would screwed…. opps his campaign PAC lol, yah Jimmy keep meeting and plotting you might get a surprise you don’t want and that would be a grand jury fucking

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jackson4570

1 year 1 month ago

Bought and paid for.

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Nobama

1 year 30 days ago

You mean like Odumdnuts was bought and paid for by Bill Ayers and George Soros? ALL politicians are bought and paid for by someone or some ideology. THAT is reality.

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Nikki

1 year 30 days ago

Do you EVER say anything besides shit about the president? I can’t fucking wait for the next election year, maybe you’ll shut the fuck up then. I thought I was annoying….but I can’t even hold a candle to you.

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Nobama

1 year 30 days ago

STFU welfare poverty pimp white trash!

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Nikki

1 year 30 days ago

Wow, your intelligence is blinding….m

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lol

1 year 1 month ago

Sorry ( if someone cared about change) and it should come from the GOP

This punk gotta go. As I said before, he’s done nothing unless it’s best for his cronies. ie. his buddy’s at the Charter schools or healthcare

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Mungo Jerry

1 year 1 month ago

Aside from Nobama you people are simply a collection of rocks! Sitting in a box, a buncha beaver county rocks, upon your heads you knock, which happen to be as empty …..as empty as?

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martin

1 year 1 month ago

lets see we have a sheriff under house arrest, his deputy arrested, a court house full of corruption, and a state rep out goffy golfing and the biggest ASSHOLES OF ALL we the people for letting these bastards get away with it

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lol

1 year 1 month ago

@ mungo Jerry

Please tell us minions your opinion on this creep, non property tax payer? Thoughts ? To late to have REPUBLICAN run against him, clock is ticking? If the current potentialcandidate dropped out, ChristianChristiana would shittat his opponent

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Mungo Jerry

1 year 1 month ago

@lolYou my friend have left Mungo speechless! Your dizzying intellect is a beacon of light for all wayward souls to see. By the sheer quantity of question marks in your comment Mungo can see you’re seeking the truth, and he truly wishes you well in that endeavor:-)

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zing pow

1 year 1 month ago

Bring back the wanna bee mafia Biancucci, can’t believe I said that….. but he’s better than this kid… He’s really a shady FAKE… THAT PLAYS dirty opportunist politics..

And he went to this golf outing and loved the fact it was 25k, even if his sponser got a discount or what ever Jimmy loved that it was billed 25k, he loves what he’s not and tries to infuse himself in those environments, and his favorite circle it’s attempting the sports circle he loves them jock straps, his last endeavor hanging with losers promoting charity work trying to get in with celebrities is under investigation now… hmmmmm

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Nobama

1 year 1 month ago

You mean like Odumbnuts and Moochele?

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Dina trello

1 year 1 month ago

This comment is for “sickofit” the person you are referring to as duck face is a 15 yr old. If your trying to make any sort of point attacking someone’s appearance is not necessary.

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Nobama

1 year 1 month ago

That’s that love and compassion the Lib-tards keep saying they have for everyone, except the one’s who don’t fall in line with them!

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gringo

1 year 1 month ago

Then why did you change your avatar.

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gringo

1 year 1 month ago

Dina you allowed that person to be sexualized by posting the duck face selfie. This all has origin in porn pics and why plumping lips elicits visual and physiological changes in the opposite sex.

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arealregularguy

1 year 30 days ago

I’ve read Nobama’s comments for months now, and I think he’s finally lost his grip with reality. He keeps repeating Odumbnut, Moochele, Nancy Pissonus…I think he’s reached a point where he thinks he has found something that reasonates in that empty head of his and just keeps bouncing around until half way through a sentence……it finds its way out!

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Icanread

1 year 30 days ago

Did Christiana “win” anything? Gift Basket? Set of Clubs? Does he have to declare that as part of the gift? I personally would hate to golf with pro’s and strangers. 18 holes in hell.